Super Bowl Bars

I can’t wait to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday. I don’t want you to get the false impression that I follow any team in particular, or even the sport as a whole. I can safely avoid upsetting anyone by picking a side, since I have no idea who’s even in the game this year. I do love the clever ads and I’m a big fan of Bruno Mars. As is the case with most occasions like this, I’m totally in it for the food. My husband will make buffalo and “mahogany” chicken wings (recipes he only whips out for this event). My sons explained to me, in no uncertain terms, that I need to make bars, and they are not to be “too fancy.” They Fear I’ll show up with some girly, frilly, lacy dessert and be a humiliation to their dude-ness. Granted they are teens, so I am almost always an embarrassment. So, I layered up all the things I could think might be appropriate at a party dedicated to football, including potato chips, coffee, peanuts, and much, much more. Everything but beer. These treats are a bit inspired by the Momofuko Milk Bar Compost Cookies, but I took it to a whole new level with a rich chocolate topping. When my youngest son taste tested them he asked, suspiciously and with a full mouth, if I’d put a layer of mousse on top, which would have placed them in the realm of “fancy.” I did not, but the nutella ganache is very mousse-like and completely awesome. He had another one just to make sure.

A fact about me that not many people know, until now…I was a cheerleader in highschool (and middle school) for the football team. I had two qualifications that made this a more obvious fit than you might think, given my indifference to the game. I was a loud mouth and I was pretty coordinated, having grown up with a mom who owns a dance studio. I had no idea what was going on behind on the field and quite frankly I never really cared. But, when it came to the bake sale to raise money for the team, I was all about it.

Here are my “Not Too Fancy for the Super Bowl, but just fancy enough to make ME happy, Bars”. They are really simple to make, so if you need a last minute treat to bring to your Super Bowl Fête, these are perfect and decadent. Go Bars!

1 1/4 cup cereal (I used Chocolate Toast Crunch because General Mills had sent me a box, but I think any crunchy cereal you have on hand will do)

2 ounces (2 small lunch box sized bags) potato chips, crushed

Nutella Ganache

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup nutella

To make the bars: Preheat oven to 350°F

Combine the crushed cookies and butter. Press the cookies very tightly into the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan. Bake for about 10 minutes or until it feels set.

Scatter the chocolate, coconut, peanuts and cereal over the crust.

Heat the condensed milk just to a simmer, remove from heat and mix in the espresso and vanilla. Pour the condensed milk over the top of the pan of bars. Bake the bars for about 20 minutes or until the edges start bubble and the center is set.

Allow the bars to cool to room temperature. Scatter the potato chips over the top.

In a small saucepan heat the cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the chocolate and nutella. Swirl the pan to cover the chocolate, allow to sit for a couple of minutes. Gently stir the mixture until completely combined. Pour over the bars and spread to cover evenly. Refrigerate until the topping is set.

Once the bars are set, use a sharp knife, dipped in hot water to cut them. I start by cutting around the edges.

This is known, in the professional culinary industry, as “chef’s snack.”

Cut the bars using the sharp knife,

dipping in the hot water to melt through the ganache, this will prevent it from cracking.

Into 24 pieces.

There are all the tasty layers.

Not too fancy, but they do have a sophisticated, not too sweet, truffle or mousse-like decadence.

Yes, it should work just fine. In fact, the first batch I lined with parchment, but when I cut them, in the pan, I realized they’d come out fine without it and the parchment was getting shredded. Be careful if you lift them out as a whole. You may want to cover the chilled top with plastic, invert the pan, peel off the foil and then invert onto the cutting board. This will insure that they stay flat and not crack.

Chef’s snack!! Love it!
In my house, they’re called “Uglies”, which basically means that anyone (who gets there first) can have them. They’re what my riffraff homies prefer, especially if they have crispy edges. In their opinion, the invited guests can suck it up and deal with the “non-Uglies”.

Zoe: those bars shot to the top of my list just now! But I have to tell you, I cracked up when I scrolled down to the comment area, and there was the ad about Liposuction! That’s probably where I should be heading after eating probably most of those bars! Too funny-!! Cannot wait to make these bars!! Yummmm-!!
Mmmmickie

Um. Yes. I do not like football (though university games were pretty fun) but I would sit through the super bowl for the wings and these bars. I love the salty, sweet and chocolaty mix and they are stunning! But sorry to say for your sons, I think these bars could go both ways.

Hehe that was actually better; I’ll take a good laugh anyday over a football win…well almost any day! BTW looked at your remodel too. Wow is all I can say. If you want some of this stuff just yell, would love to send you a jar; I always keep a stash on hand and I use it for all of my butcher block as well as spoons, bowls..whatever is wood gets it slathered on!

Follow me

Welcome to Zoe Bakes

I'm Zoë François and I love to bake. This is where I play with sugar and take the mystery out of baking everything from cookies to wedding cakes. I studied pastry at the CIA, worked in restaurants, write cookbooks and now you can also find my creations on the Cooking Channel, Fine Cooking Magazine, General Mills, Cooking Club Magazine and Breadin5.com. More...

Zoe’s Books

Click on Zoe's "Five Minutes a Day" books to learn more and order from Amazon.